Douglas Roland Wells

Douglas Roland Wells lived a life full of purpose, laughter, adventure, and a whole bunch of feeling the love. Born on the Ides of March in Waltham, Massachusetts, to Charlotte Queen and Roland Wells, Doug grew up shooting marbles, hanging with his dog Sparkle, and was sharp in every sense of the word — including as an accomplished rifleman during his school years.

After graduating high school, Doug attended the University of Massachusetts, where he joined the ROTC program before proudly serving his country in the United States Army. Life truly changed forever when he attended an officers’ dance while stationed at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. There he met the love of his life, Dawn Tracy Ensign. Two things happened that made 1966 a memorable year: the blissful couple’s wedding and the purchase of their cherry red Mustang.

The Army brought Doug and Tracy to Georgia, where Doug discovered a gift that would shape the rest of
his life — teaching. After completing his military service, Doug and Tracy settled in Banning, California,
where he became a beloved 7th and 8th grade science teacher.

To generations of students, Mr. Wells was unforgettable. His classroom was never ordinary — it
was alive. Filled with animals, experiments, and even an interactive beehive, his room was a place where
kids felt free to be curious and excited about learning. Many former students would later say he was the
teacher who inspired them the most (and his children would say you couldn’t go anywhere in town
without running into a former student).

At home, Doug was an incredible husband and a hands-on father. Together, Doug and Tracy raised
four children: Trevor, Shauna, Audrey, and Holly. He filled their childhood with camping trips, fishing
adventures, countless road trips across the country in a cramped camper to visit family and friends along
the way, all with a soundtrack of everything from the Beach Boys to the Beatles. He was also lucky enough
to have seven grandchildren, whom he adored.

To friends and family, Doug was known for his quick wit, his endless jokes, his kindness to
strangers, and his willingness to dance at weddings. He had a way of making people feel comfortable
immediately, often with a joke, a smile, or a story that somehow became funnier every time he told it...
and he certainly had some signature repeats (quiche, anyone?)

Retirement didn’t slow him down. Instead, Doug found another calling through Habitat for
Humanity, dedicating countless hours helping build homes and serve his community. He also forged solid
friendships that remained strong with daily morning gatherings.

Above all else, Doug was deeply loved. He was a devoted husband to Tracy, a proud father,
grandfather, teacher, mentor, veteran, and friend. His life was rich not because of what he had, but
because of how fully he lived and how deeply he cared for others.

He will be profoundly missed by all who knew him, but his stories, laughter, lessons, and love will
continue to live on in the countless lives he touched. And somewhere, surely, Billy Joel is playing, a bocce
game is nearby, and Doug is telling one more joke that leaves everyone laughing. Feel the Love.

A Celebration of Life in his honor will be held on Saturday May 30th at Windmill Canyon Ranch from 4:30pm to 8:30pm.

Please use this form so we can provide an accurate headcount for catering

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Douglas Roland Wells, please visit our floral store.